2018 Winners

The judges received 88 applications for the prize from over 1,232 events held in total. The judges are highly appreciative of all the efforts of all those who held events and applied for the prize. They wish they could reward all who held an event, but are consoled by the fact that good deeds are their own reward so that everyone who held an event—whether they applied for the prize or not—is a true winner.

In judging, the judges took into consideration the excellence of efforts, collaboration and impact of events. They looked carefully at efforts made despite scantiness of resources, but also took into consideration consistent efforts made over the years. They further took into consideration whether events were consistent with the text of the UN Resolution establishing the Prize. Accordingly, judges did not reward movements towards religious syncretism but rather rewarded events which respected each religion as it is. Finally, in accordance with the terms of the Prize, judges rewarded events specifically celebrating the World Interfaith Harmony Week rather than good interfaith work in general.

The faith leaders were invited to bring community members with them to meet their ‘neighbours’ who come from diverse faiths, philosophies and cultures. Seven religious and spiritual leaders were invited to speak to the topic for twenty minutes from their traditions. Each speaker shared their creation stories from sacred texts or their oral tradition in their individual ways, sharing many commonalities and acknowledging the differences with respect. They wove together strands of religious teachings about creation, the meaning of life, and gave practical ways of how we can care for each other and the earth.

Indonesia Celebrate World Interfaith Harmony Week: Commitment of Religious Leader on National Unity
The Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Indonesia for Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue and CooperationIndonesia

The Special Envoy of the President of Republic Indonesia for Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue and Cooperation, Prof Dr Din Syamsuddin, organised The 2018 World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) in Indonesia which consisted of three main events: (a) Deliberation of 450 of interfaith leaders across Indonesia to discuss strategic national issues, and issue a declaration; (b) Gathering at the Presidential Palace to present the declaration to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, and (c) Celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week with more than 2,500 participants to share peace, joy and harmony.

Interfaith Glasgow is a charity promoting positive engagement between people of different religious traditions and none in Scotland’s most religiously diverse city. At a time when forces of prejudice and hate threaten to destabilise relationships between communities both locally and globally, World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) provided a perfect opportunity for us to bring together people of goodwill from different traditions to reflect on what interfaith harmony consists in, why it matters, and how we can most effectively work towards it.

Many, many congratulations to the winners and to all those who took part in World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018.

The prize-giving ceremony will take place in the last week of April, 2018 in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.